Artist: Sammy Virji
Title: Same Day Cleaning
Label: Capitol Records
Released: 19 September
Sounds like: Sammy Virji succeeding where his UKG forebears never could: conquering the mass North American market
Sammy Virji
Drum & Bass, Dubstep, Eurodance, Trance - all of them managed to find their way across the Atlantic to be embraced, at least in some mutated form, by American audiences. Conspicuous by its absence, the fledgling which strayed off course during the migration was UKG.
Why did it fail to land?
Given the genre's roots with Larry Levan at the 'Garage and the nation's ongoing obsession with R&B and rap music, bizarrely, it never struck a chord with US dancefloors. Until now, that is. Over twenty years since its original peak, UKG finally seems ready to be adopted Stateside - and the young upstart for whom we have to thank is Sammy Virji.
This summer, he drew some of Coachella's biggest crowds and proved a hit at Lightning In A Bottle. Cali festivalgoers clearly know what they like. He even made an impression as a leftfield inclusion at Movement Detroit. Next month Sammy returns to the States for New Year's Eve, before two sold-out shows at Alexandra Palace on home soil in the spring. And what about Ibiza?
Before the season began, our hero was rumoured to be in the running to front a residency of his own. While that didn't come to pass, he still propped up one edition of Boiler Room at Amnesia, as well as supporting FISHER at [UNVRS]. The residency can wait for another day.
Same Day Cleaning
Through nothing but sheer stubbornness, no doubt there will be some purists quick to distance themselves from Sammy Virji's widespread appeal. But Same Day Cleaning contains all genre tropes you could hope for. Amongst the deck, you'll find all the UKG calling cards.
There are pitched up samples ('90s icon Brandy on Cops & Robbers), smooth soulful female vocals (RoRo on 925) and yardie ragga barks (IRAH on Dis Badman), plus a selection of contemporary collaborators who are all enjoying their own career highs.
Name-drop Skepta, Champion and FLOWDAN. It's a formidable cast. Even salute makes an appearance. Survive feels like it owes some debt to French Touch.
There are more unlikely guests who bring their own surprises. On 925, the chameleonic Chris Lake proves he can turn his hand to any sound. Here, he add Garage to a cap that already includes big room and Tech House-shaped feathers.
The album isn't without its blips though. Same Day Cleaning stalls on start up.
One For The Books begins brightly with an intro of ceremonial horns (think of the brass section of Panic At The Disco's High Hopes). However, Giggs' laboured bar delivery fails to pair with the pomp of the beat.
Although the Peckham rapper does find his stride later on, the opportunity to grab listeners instantly feels missed.
We have to wait until the playful Doctor to be sucked in. The MJ Cole-assisted second track plays like it has a PhD in the classic sound. Its undeniable UKG swing and off-kilter shuffle gives the track plenty of bounce. Hardly surprising, considering Cole's founding father status.
Elsewhere, the Dionne Warwick sample on Burn The River feels misplaced and overly sentimental. Its sweetness levels are off the chart, incurring a wince-inducing bite. Levy a sugar tax immediately.
Compromise is needed in order to win over the masses and there are a handful of tracks that feel dumbed-down for that exact purpose - especially given the high standard set elsewhere. Nostalgia and I Guess We're Not The Same are linked through their Ellie Goulding-like vocals and bubblegum lyrics that will resonate with the teenybopper listeners they're intended for.
Currently, they're the second and third most streamed tracks on the title, despite being its weakest.
At 16-tracks long, it could be argued that the album overstays its welcome. Do modern audiences have attention spans long enough? Not that any of this matters. Same Day Cleaning fulfils its objectives.
North America is conquered; the mission is complete. We are also willing to overlook its niggling flaws and champion its overwhelming positives. UKG was already enjoying a long overdue resurgence, but Sammy Virji has brought it to the mainstream.
We always knew UK Garage would take over the world eventually. We just hadn't banked it on taking this long.
ADDITIONAL WORDS | by Luke Botting
Highlights: Doctor, Up & Down, 925, So Over You
Same Day Cleaning is out now and is available to stream and purchase on all reputable platforms.
